The Trials and Tribulations of the Elder Gods
by 13primes
Summary: [DISCONTINUED] The assassination of Kurtis Stryker sparks a series of trivial murders.


"Whatever hysteria exists is inflamed by mystery, suspicion and secrecy. Hard and exact facts will cool it."

\- Elia Kazan

* * *

Sonya Blade pursed her lips and stated: "There was an assassination."

Cassandra Cage banged her fist on the table in frustration, shouting at her mother as if she knew all the answers.

"The body has been identified," was all the general could offer, "but at this time we do not have a confirmed time of death, or cause, for that matter."

"Kurtis Stryker," Johnny Cage spoke slowly, tossing a manila folder onto the table. "Head of Riot Control in NYC, and a rather valuable ally to us... Shame he went out so early. We have some pictures of his body, but we really have no idea what happened to the guy. I'm thinking it was Outworld, as some sort of aggression act or an instigation of war."

His ex-wife scoffed and folded her arms across her chest.

Jacqueline Briggs studied the pictures carefully, while her teammates passed them on rather quickly with a look of uncertainty.

It appeared as though the victim's body had been carelessly beaten and thrown around, as though he were a mere doll. His face had been particularity beaten in, to a point of almost being unrecognizable. She looked closer yet, and observed the bullet holes that littered his torso.

"Hey, wait:" she interrupted the exes' bickering, "He was shot a bunch. Did you guys overlook that? If you're saying it was an act of aggression from Outworld, then the only person I can think of with guns from around there is-"

"-Erron Black." Kung Jin's voice dripped with venom, as the name rolled off his tongue rather freely.

Jacqui continued. "Right, and he's gotta' be strong enough to do Stryker in like this. And as far as I'm concerned, Erron's been working for Kotal for quite some time."

"But, why would Outworld attack us?" Takeda interjected, "We haven't done anything to piss them off, have we?"

"Could feel threatened, or like I said, trying to instigate a war with us." Johnny replied, "Who knows with those guys. If they're not gonna fight us, they'll probably fight themselves or something."

Cassie snorted at her father's remark.

"We will be departing in three hours for Outworld." the general said, "there, we will retrieve Kotal Kahn and bring him here for further questioning."

"We?" Kung Jin questioned, "Why do we have to go with? Give us some goddamn warning next time." Sonya scowled, and opened her mouth to say something. However her daughter swiftly intervened. "Well," she said, "no use sitting around and waiting. We should pack our things and prepare for lift-off."

* * *

Aside from the occasional complaints from Kung Jin, the ride to Outworld was relatively quiet. Takeda appeared to be deep in thought.

 _"I sense that you are rather worried about all of this."_

The Shirai Ryu student frowned and scanned the area for the source of the voice. _"You're in my head again. Do you not want to talk like normal human beings?"_

Kenshi rested his elbows on his thighs, _"I figured that this conversation would best be held more personally."_

Takeda thought for a moment, then finally replied with: _"I don't want to talk about it."_

 _"You doubt our suspicions, do you not?"_

 _"Why would you suggest that?"_

 _"You forget that I have a very strong 'sixth sense,' as Johnny would call it."_

 _"Or maybe 'father's intuition,' right?"_

 _"Don't be sarcastic. I am only trying to help you."_

 _"You could help me by politely fucking off, maybe."_

Jacqui rested a hand on Takeda's knee and offered him a small smile. "You alright?" She asked, "You look really tense." He nodded and laid a hand over hers. "I'm fine, just... a little tired." He replied. She leaned her head against his shoulder and exhaled, "I'm here if you need to talk."

"Sorry to interrupt your bonding time, everyone," Johnny stepped in, "but I have word from Raiden. Shinnok's amulet is missing, and due to recent events, he suspects that the big, bad Kahn has it."

Cassie frowned, "Tell Raiden to keep a handle on the damn thing."

"As much as I appreciate the joke, Cass, I don't think this is much to joke around about. We don't know what he could possibly want with it."

"Thought we had a peace treaty..." Kung Jin muttered, "What an asshole for stabbing us in the back like that."

"-Hell if we know that Kotal Kahn actually has the amulet!" Sonya cried out in frustration from the pilot's seat. Cassie decided to cut in again: "Yeah. Lighting God probably just misplaced it."

"Shut the fuck up, Cass." Takeda spoke quietly. "Your dad said this was some serious shit. We don't know what kind of power Kotal would have with that amulet, but it's something to be afraid of regardless.

Cassie opened her mouth, but decided against saying anything and chose to smack her bubblegum instead.

Kenshi straightened his spine and leaned against the hard interior of the plane. " _Takeda,"_ he adressed his son, _"speak with respect, as I have taught you."_

 _"I'm not in the mood to take advice from you right now, of all people. Leave me alone."_

However, the swordsman did not cease and desist. A look of genuine concern spread across his face as he continued to speak to Takeda: _"You're afraid, I know. You cannot push the people who love you most away in such a time of need. I will assure you that-"_

The younger ronin gripped his head in frustration and yelled, "get out of my head!"

All eyes turned onto him then. His peers were confused and alarmed with his sudden outburst, and failed to notice the ugly stare he had given his father.

Aside from an apology from Cassie, nobody said much else the rest of the way.

* * *

Outworld was, well, to put it bluntly, much trashier than Takeda had remembered. Stone buildings that appeared to be crumbling at the core lined the dirt roads, which thieves and beasts completely foreign to Earthrealm roamed freely on. The landscape beyond the overpopulated city suggested that the rest of the realm was nothing but a barren and dreary wasteland.

"Well," Jacqui whistled, "this place is as bad as I thought it would be. At least the sky isn't purple, right?"

Kung Jin laughed. "Wouldn't be too surprised if it was. Yeesh, this place has seem to have gotten worse since the last time I've been here."

"Oh?" Cassie raised an eyebrow and looked at him, "what were you here for? You don't strike me as the person to visit a place like this often."

"Well, I'll tell you that I wasn't visiting for the scenery."

"Aside from that, anyone got a clue as to where the Kahn is?" the blonde questioned. Takeda shrugged, but then answered, "not sure, but maybe he could tell us."

He gestured to a man clad in dark clothing quickly approaching them. As he drew nearer, it was much easier to see the belts and bullets that decorated his hips, and the gun that lay across his back.

"Fucker looks as though he came right out of a Clint Eastwood movie." Johnny muttered.

Kung Jin visibly tensed as he recognized the man. "Erron Black is not the person to ask for directions." he spat, "you'd be lucky if he didn't shoot you fucking dead afterwords."

"State your business, including a reason as to why I shouldn't shoot you all for coming without a formal invitation." Erron stated. His voice was surprisingly clear despite the mask that was secured tightly around the lower half of his face.

"Here to speak with Kotal Kahn." Sonya replied with.

"What about?"

"You know what what kind of business we're here for, and the amulet."

Erron scoffed and lowered his gun. "You're here because you think I assassinated someone from your side. We know. Mileena's been all over us because of it."

Cassie raised an eyebrow, "What beef does Mileena have with you?"

"Trying to reclaim a throne that she does not rightfully deserve. She'll use any information she can get against us. Personally, if I could get my own hands on her, I'd blast her brains out."

"Something I'd rather not see." the blonde muttered. She was growing impatient, much like her mother. "Take us to see Kotal Kahn," General Blade ordered, "or I will be the one to blow someone's brains out." Erron's rifle was raised again, and he replied, "I suggest not being so abrasive, Sonya Blade," the gun clicked, he had loaded it. Suddenly Cassie and Sonya had their guns raised as well. Jacqui bit her lip and raised her fists.

"Okay, okay. Let's all calm down, this is not the way to get to know one another." Johnny Cage spoke cautiously, putting himself between the two sides. However, Kung Jin ignored him and also raised his weapon. "Always eager to shoot someone in the face, mercenary? You haven't changed." he spat. Erron laughed, and took a step forward. "And neither have you, junior. Still quite the loudmouth, always stepping over boundaries you shouldn't have even been able to reach."

"Take us to Kotal Kahn," Sonya interrupted the two by shoving the barrel of her pistol into Erron's throat, "now."

He raised his hands defensively and laughed, "alright, put the gun down and I'll take you, general." She lowered her gun, but cautious still. However she was not quick enough in stopping him from tackling her to the ground and wrestling the gun out of her hands. Someone yelled as weapons were raised. Erron pressed the barrel of Sonya's gun to her temple and hissed, "you move, I shoot."

His antics were thankfully cut short however, when D'vorah approached. She yanked Erron backwards with one of her pincers, causing him to drop the gun and allow Sonya to get back onto her feet.

"What the hell could you possibly want right now?" he asked, shoving the Kytinn away from him. She clicked her tongue in annoyance and tipped her head sideways. "This one has been sent to retrieve you, as there is a conflict regarding Mileena taking place and Kotal Kahn is in need of our aid." she paused for a moment and gestured to the others, who were currently preoccupied with tending to Sonya, "this one also suggests you bring your new friends along, as they may prove themselves to be useful to us right now."

He waved her off, as if to say he understood what she said. He faced Sonya and said, "guess you get your way, you're coming with us back to Kotal's base."

* * *

Mileena laughed wickedly and tipped Kotal Kahn's chin upward with her sai. "The emperor of Outworld, on his knees and at my mercy." she mused, "so weak, so unworthy of my throne."

"Clone," he spat at her "you think so highly of yourself, and so wrongly as well. We have done nothing to infuriate or endanger the well-being of Earthrealm. We have been wrongfully accused, but you are so blind as to ignore such an obvious fact."

She hissed and applied pressure to his throat with her sai, enough to draw blood. The Kahn beneath her grimaced and said nothing. He was wise to obey her, but certainly not anywhere near willing to be at her mercy.

Sonya Blade, however, decided for him that he would be under the gun no longer. She entered the room, followed by a rather distressed Tanya and Rain. "You, move." She gestured to Mileena with the front of her pistol, to which the Edenian clone replied with, "what business do you have that intrudes with mine?"

"The amulet," Johnny cut in, "and our friend Stryker."

Mileena laughed and said, "funny that we're here on the same terms, isn't it?"

"Fools, the lot of you," Kotal muttered after using the opportunity to shove Mileena aside, "I do not have the amulet. I never did."

"As for Stryker?" Sonya asked.

"Sonya Blade, you seem to forget that we treat Earthrealm as a fragile, yet valuable ally. What good would we possibly find in threatening you? If we wanted to overpower your realm, I see no reason in wasting time by sending you any warnings."

Tanya spoke up then, nudging the General with her staff, "who is to say that you don't have that amulet, hmm?" Sonya groaned out of frustration and rubbed her temples, "Maybe my daughter was right, with her wild claims about Raiden simply losing the damn thing. Who is to be held responsible for Stryker's assassination, then?"

Mileena scoffed, and crossed her arms. "You're ridiculous, all of you. If you refuse to believe me, I'll be sure to prove you the wrongdoing of this undeserving ruler!"

"Enough of this!" D'vorah snapped, prodding at Mileena's allies with her stingers. Rain yelled, and shoved her away. "This one suggests taking the rebels as prisoners while we can."

Ermac and Reptile stepped forward to grab Mileena. Tanya raised her weapon, but Sonya was quick to turn on her heels and aim her gun at her. "This is our business now, not yours." the General remarked.

Tanya lowered her weapon, and then was taken away along with Rain and Mileena.

* * *

Needless to say, the departure to Earthrealm did not include Kotal Kahn, or any Outworlder at all, for that matter. Sonya was clearly frustrated, and Kenshi decided to spend his time trying to calm her. Takeda had been rather grateful that his father chose to do so.

"You still holding up?" Jacqui asked him.

Takeda sighed, and turned to look at her, "I'll be fine. I'm not a concern right now. What matters right now is that we find that amulet."

She grasped his hand tightly and smiled.

Takeda knew that she would still worry about him regardless.


End file.
